Look, if it were up to me, it would be Chiwetel Ejiofor for Best Actor. But as I said the other day, it really is looking like it’s going to be a battle between Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConaughey. Which, from a campaign observational standpoint, I have to admit, might be a lot of fun. They both have factions. They’re both, as you know, very well connected. The high school cafeteria seems pretty equally divided right now. How will they be swayed in the next 6 weeks?

But no one this morning is happier than Jonah Hill. Jonah Hill gets to go back to the Oscars! He gets to gaze admiringly at Leo and Marty all night! And, maybe, even sit with them! And from now on, we have to live with the fact that Jonah Hill is a TWO TIME Oscar nominee. F-ck us all.

It’s looking really good for American Hustle right now too. Hustle placed in all four acting categories – Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper are making two for two in nomination years – and received a nomination for directing and screenplay and Best Picture. The Directors Guild and the Producers Guild have acknowledged the film too, not unlike Silver Linings Playbook but the momentum for Hustle feels a lot stronger than it did for SLP. Which is why…

Brad Pit – GET TO WORK, where are you?!? 12 Years A Slave came out with 9 nominations behind Hustle and Gravity with 10 each. 12 Years had the potential for 13, as mentioned yesterday, which means, again, it’s slowing… the hype is slowing. And Brad has 6 weeks to turn this sh-t around, COME ON.

Let’s big up Barkhad Abdi, a first time actor who’s now going to the Oscars. There’s a feel-good story. Let’s big up Dame Judi Dench because Philomena is WONDERFUL and you should go see it. Let’s big up Lupita Nyong’o because she’s a dream and also because we all win when she steps on a red carpet. Let’s big up Before Midnight because yes, YES the screenplay deserves to be acknowledged.

Snubs?

Oh, the biggest.

No. Oprah.

Nothing significant for The Butler. Nothing significant for Inside Llewyn Davis either. That means Oscar Issac won’t be there. And we expected this. For Oscar and for Michael B Jordan, it was a building year. There was no way they could take on all those others.

August: Osage County not included among Best Pictures. That surprised me. Everyone was talking like the “actors” were all behind this film. Well, not enough.

There are tight races across several categories – it’s the most competitive we’ve seen it in a while. Which means they will be pimping themselves HARD until February 25 when voting closes. And that is Great for Gossip.